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In this second part of my House Call visit with Windows Secrets reader Pam Newberry, we clean up a cranky Vista notebook and upgrade it to Windows 8.

The cleanup process included updating software, checking drivers, and removing unnecessary files from the hard drive before installing Windows 8.

This visit was part of the ongoing Windows Secrets House Call project, in which I visit a reader’s home or business and attempt to diagnose and cure their PC problems. As detailed in last week’s Top Story, “House Call 2013 — Part 1: Sanitizing a drive,” I also helped Pam prepare a defunct Toshiba notebook for donation to a local tech school. The story provides an illustrated guide to powering, accessing, and wiping the Toshiba’s drive by using an inexpensive hard-drive connector kit. The House Call took place in January at Pam’s Sarasota, Florida, home.

The House Call project’s goal is to take PC troubleshooting out of the “lab” and find which analysis and maintenance techniques work best on real-world PCs. What we discover is shared with all Windows Secrets readers through the House Call articles. (You can find more on the House Calls project in the April 12, 2012, Top Story, “House Call 2012: Fixing a sluggish PC.”)

Vista system needs cleaning before upgrading

As I noted in Part 1 of this series, Pam had five PCs — each with various problems. But because each House Call is just a one-day visit, I chose only two systems for analysis and repair.

In addition to the obsolete Toshiba, Pam had a Dell notebook running Vista. But the machine had problems so severe and persistent, she wanted to ditch Vista and upgrade to Windows 8. Here’s how Pam described the trouble.

“I used Dell’s factory-restore image from the default partition, but the notebook wouldn’t run right, even after this total rebuild. Everything seems fine, until I try to install any application — even something as basic as Thunderbird.

“Installing software seems to work. But when I try to load the new app from its icon or program file, nothing happens — Vista just won’t run anything other than itself. I think I’d like to start fresh with Windows 8 on this PC.”

The rest of this article details how we diagnosed and stabilized Vista so it would make a solid foundation for an OS upgrade. It also covers the actual installation of Win8.

A full backup is — usually — the first step

Before any major system maintenance — and certainly before any OS upgrade — I recommend fully backing up the current system, preferably with a disk image. (Need more info? See the Dec. 3, 2009, LangaList Plus, “Using Windows’ built-in disk-imaging utility.”)

In Pam’s case, however, she’d already tried reinstalling Vista to correct problems. That meant the system was in a near-OEM state — it had no personal files or other sensitive information to speak of. If the Win8 upgrade failed, we could still use the factory-restore option to get her system back to its current state. So we proceeded without doing a separate backup or system image.

Before heavy maintenance on an upgrade, it’s also wise to write down all passwords, product keys, and installation codes — plus any other important data that might be needed later to reinstall software and access the system and network. Pam had already done this; we were good to go. We rolled up our figurative sleeves and got started.

Next step: Update Windows and all needed drivers

Although a Windows 8 upgrade is designed to let you retain some or nearly all of your pre-upgrade Windows setup, what’s retained depends on the Windows version you’re upgrading from, as shown in the following chart.

If you upgrade from …

… you can keep:

Windows 7

Apps, Windows settings, and personal files

Windows Vista

Windows settings and personal files

Windows XP

Personal files

Whatever Windows you’re starting with, the standard Win8 upgrade process will use it to install Win8. So before you start, it’s vital that the system be fully up to date and as healthy as possible.

To clean up Vista, we started with Windows Update. But we immediately ran into trouble; just as Pam had noted, her system was extremely balky, and we had a hard time getting the OS to do much of anything.

We tried simplifying the setup by uninstalling all the obviously unnecessary software the factory reinstall had put into place. Although that helped some, Vista still wasn’t running right. We needed to dig deeper to see what was causing the trouble. For that, we used ITSH’s free What’s My Computer Doing? (WMCD; site), shown in Figure 1.

Using WMCD, we identified and terminated several out-of-control system processes. We then identified the apps that owned those errant processes and uninstalled them. For detailed info on using WMCD and similar tools for this type of troubleshooting, see the Aug. 23, 2012, LangaList Plus column, “Apps temporarily — and randomly — freeze,” and the Oct, 18, 2012, column, “Diagnosing PC hangs and freezes redux” (both paid content).

Eventually, we regained enough control over the PC to manually launch Windows Update.

With Update finally running, we found a surprise: Pam had set Vista to automatically install only critical/important updates. Her setup was missing literally hundreds of recommended and optional updates — including Vista Service Pack 2 (info) and numerous drivers. That undoubtedly caused some of the system’s issues.

So we let Windows Update install all the operating system updates it wanted to, including SP2. This took a while, with multiple reboots along the way.

Next, we looked at updating the system’s hardware drivers. Because it’s usually best to obtain drivers directly from the system’s manufacturer, we paid a visit to Dell’s support site. Pam’s still-balky system complicated matters, and navigating Dell’s poorly laid-out site was confusing. On several occasions, for example, clicking through the site to locate a specific driver brought us right back to the page we had started from — accomplishing nothing.

We downloaded what we could from Dell, but eventually we went back to Windows Update and let it update those drivers it could identify as obsolete (more info).

The entire process of uninstalling unnecessary software and installing OS updates and current drivers took several hours and required several reboots. But when we were done (see Figure 2), Pam’s notebook seemed to be operating normally; Vista was finally stable and responsive!

Figure 2. An essential step in any Windows upgrade is to get the current operating system and drivers 100 percent up to date

With Vista running as well as it was going to, we moved on to the hard drive.

Error-checking and cleaning the hard drive

We used Windows’ Disk Check (Microsoft info) to ensure that her hard drive was error-free. (It was.) We then ran Windows’ Disk Cleanup tool in its hidden, enhanced mode to thoroughly scrub the hard drive of temporary files and other digital debris. (See Figure 3.) For more info on this technique, see the March 13, 2008, LangaList Plus, “Using Windows’ hidden Disk Cleanup options” (paid content).

We finished the cleanup process by using Piriform’s CCleaner (site) to remove any junk files that the Windows tool might have missed, and to find and correct numerous Registry errors — another possible source for Vista’s previous misbehaving.

It had taken most of the morning (we started right after initiating the drive wipe — a six-hour process — on Pam’s defunct Toshiba), but Pam’s Vista setup was finally fully current, cleaned up, and error-checked. It was the best-possible foundation we could provide for downloading and installing the Win8 upgrade.

Moving the Dell from Vista to Windows 8

For the upgrade to Win8, we started with Microsoft’s free Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant (site; see Figure 4) to verify that her system was Win8-compatible. As expected, it was.

Figure 4. The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant reports on hardware and software compatibility and offers a way to buy, download, and install Windows 8 through your browser.

When it concluded, the Win8 Upgrade Assistant offered to sell Pam a downloadable Windows 8 or Windows 8 Professional upgrade (more info on version differences). She could have also purchased the upgrades online at the Win8 site or bought a DVD-based upgrade through the Microsoft Store (site) or some other retailer.

Pam wanted Win8 Pro, so she selected the offered downloadable upgrade. It costs less than the DVD version and still gives the option to burn an installation DVD for safekeeping (a good idea).

Pam entered her credit-card information and the download began.

The upgrade process is clear and self-guiding. First, you download a small stub program, which in turn downloads the full 2GB Win8 Pro installation file to your hard drive. Obviously, with a download of this size, you’ll want to use the fastest connection possible. Pam had a good connection, so the download took about 40 minutes.

Once the download is complete, you’re given the opportunity to burn the installation DVD — and then the actual installation begins.

Win8’s installation is highly automated, requiring minimal user input or intervention. You answer a few basic questions and enter the product key given when you made the purchase; the software then takes over. On Pam’s system, the full install and setup took about an hour.

At the end of the process, following clear on-screen prompts, Pam gave the PC a system name (so it could be identified on her home network), set up her user account, and entered her Wi-Fi password to let the system get back online. Win8 booted without a hitch, connected to her network, and opened to the Start screen (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Success! The new OS booted clean, stable, and working normally.

The hours spent in cleaning up the Vista system had paid off. Upgrading to Windows 8 worked perfectly.

A few final system tweaks and customizations

To end the day, we spent a little time customizing Pam’s new setup. I won’t go into detail, because much of what we did has already been covered in previous editions of Windows Secrets.

It pays to watch, not wait, for failure of your hard drives because you remain vigilant about backing up your data. Look acquired a hard-drive monitor, using advice from fellow Lounge members. See what they recommended.

The following links are this week’s most interesting Lounge threads, including several new questions for which you might have answers:

If you’re not already a Lounge member, use the quick registration form to sign up for free. The ability to post comments and take advantage of other Lounge features is available only to registered members.

If you’re already registered, you can jump right in to today’s discussions in the Lounge.

The Lounge Life column is a digest of the best of the WS Lounge discussion board. Kathleen Atkins is Associate Editor of Windows Secrets.

Elements is significantly less expensive than the premier photo editor — Photoshop CS — and it’s easier to use. But you still have to learn Elements’ many tools and capabilities. Happily, Photoshop Elements 10: The Missing Manual by Barbara Brundage is here to show you what’s new, enhanced, and different in Version 10.

This month, all Windows Secrets subscribers can download an excerpt: Chapter 7, “Basic Image Retouching.” This chapter takes you past the basics of Quick Fix — describing how to repair exposure problems, manage color, and apply Elements tools to a variety of other photographic image defects.

If you want to download this free excerpt, simply visit your preferences page and save any changes; a download link will appear.

The world was thunderstruck last week by images (YouTube video) of the meteor that had streaked across the Russian sky, blasting windows, injuring or startling bystanders with flying glass, bricks, tea, and pots of flowers — and generally shattering Russians’ usually steely nerves.

How marvelous — and strange — that so many Russian drivers recorded the event with their automobile dash cams. Why were so many at the ready? As it happens, driving is notoriously dangerous on Russian roads. Consequently, many Russians dare not venture out in a car without a live dash cam to gather unexpected (or possibly expected) road-incident evidence. Check out these well-founded reasons for defensive driving and videography. Play the video

Third-party, automated driver-update sites sometimes cause more trouble than they cure — but there are safer alternatives.

Plus: What to do when XP’s Windows Update fails; successfully reusing Office product keys after an upgrade; and small, nimble PDF readers.

Best source for finding hardware drivers

Reader Chuck Takacs is seeking the best way to keep his system drivers up to date.

“Recently I’ve been updating all of my hardware drivers on my PC. But then I started looking for software or services for this task. I found two free ones, but I’m wondering whether there’s anything better out there?

“I’m hoping there’s an easy way to automate driver updating, just as Secunia PSI automates security updates. I was hoping it would be free, too, but I would be willing to pay a little for something that’s good!”

Is your hardware malfunctioning, Chuck? If it is, you have a good reason to try a newer driver. Otherwise, my personal rule of thumb is: If a driver ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

In fact, the only time I update hardware drivers is when either my hardware isn’t working properly or I’ve been notified that a current driver contains a serious security vulnerability. (I might also update drivers when preparing for an OS upgrade, as discussed in this week’s Top Story.)

If I do need to update a driver, I do so manually; I never let Windows Update — or any other tool — routinely or automatically update drivers on my systems. That’s because most drivers now ship in all-in-one software packages that cover multiple (perhaps dozens) of different products. A change in any one of the included products means the unified driver package gets a new version number — even if your specific driver hasn’t changed at all.

Constantly updating drivers — due to nothing more than a changed version number — can mean removing and adding low-level software to a system for absolutely no valid reason. Automated update apps and sites might end up churning your system as they repeatedly try to add the “latest” driver. That’s not a recipe for long-term stability and success.

For more info on why I think automatic driver updates can be a bad idea, see the July 26, 2012, Top Story, “Software that updates your other software”; scroll down to the section subtitled “Why newer versions aren’t always better.”

All that said, if your hardware is malfunctioning or you have a driver with a security flaw, your best bet is to go directly to the hardware vendor’s site and use its tools to obtain the official, authorized, manufacturer-supported drivers for your system.

Every PC maker I’m aware of offers free, online driver support. For example, here are sites for the top five vendors:

If the PC vendor’s site doesn’t have the driver you need for a problematic component, check the site of the company that made the component. For example, if you need a driver for an Intel system board, visit the Intel Driver Update Utilitypage. If you have an AMD-based system, visit AMD’s Support & Driverspage — and so on. Most component manufacturers also offer their drivers for free.

Once again, I don’t recommend using any third-party, automated driver-update tools or sites that might routinely “update” a system simply due to changing driver-version numbers. Remember my rule: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Manual fixes for a failing Windows Update in XP

Stan Gershon is trying to keep his XP system updated, but his copy of Windows Update isn’t working properly.

“I have several Windows updates that will not install (actually, one does install but then reappears). I tried manually downloading and installing them — but no luck. I posted queries on various forums but received no replies worth considering. (I was told to reinstall Windows!)

“I run XP Pro on an Intel Quad Core system with plenty of RAM. Any help would be appreciated.”

822798, “You cannot install some updates or programs”; the fixit is toward the bottom of the page.

If that doesn’t work, two — more-manual — fixes can usually set things right.

In this digital age, we have photographs, videos, family records — perhaps even a few words of wisdom — stored on relatively fragile hard drives.

All digital media eventually either fails or becomes obsolete, so how do you preserve important files for your grandchildren or great-grandchildren?

The basics of digital-media preservation

Imagine discovering that a vital, 30-year-old family document was stored on a 5.25-inch floppy disk. Worse yet, the document was written in WordStar on a CP/M-based Osborne 1 computer. To access it, you’d have to find a 5.25-inch floppy drive that connects to a modern computer — plus software that can read the Osborne disk format. Then, assuming the disk was still readable (magnetic media can deteriorate over time), you’d need software that can read a WordStar file.

Now let’s say you found a pile of 30-year-old audio CDs sitting in a trunk. The chances are good they’ll still work on your modern CD player.

There’s no guarantee that some future generation will be able to view or read your precious digital photos and documents (your archival files) in their current format. None of us can predict what format and hardware will be in use 50 years — or even 10 years — from now. But you can put the odds in your favor by following some basic rules.

Archive files with common, universally accepted file formats and hardware standards. We can’t be sure of the popular image formats of, say, 2113 — or what physical media they’ll be stored in. But the formats and media most popular today have the greatest likelihood of being accessible (if not in common use) well into the future.

Find durable media. Even if your great-grandchildren find a working DVD drive on the 22nd-century version of Ebay, they still won’t be able to read your 100-per-pack, DVD-R discs. The data-holding dyes in those cheap discs might not last even a decade.

Be redundant. I’ll repeat that: Be redundant. The more copies you make, the better the chance that one or more will survive the ravages of time. And the more file formats and physical mediums you use, the better the chance that one will work.

The puzzle: How will they store bits in 2099?

We can’t really know what formats and media will be in use two or three decades from now. Twenty-five years ago, you might have stored your files on a low-capacity, expensive, and not-so-reliable hard drive with a now-obsolete IDE interface. To back up your files, you might have also kept them on floppies (remember floppies?) or, if you had serious needs, on a DAT tape drive or a Bernoulli Box — then the state of the art in archiving and storage.

Today you can still access an IDE hard drive via a U.S. $20 USB adapter. A USB 3.5 floppy drive will cost you about the same. But finding a way to access a 5.25-inch floppy, an old DAT tape, or a still-functioning Bernoulli Box could require extensive research — and probably some major cash.

Lincoln Spector writes about computers, home theater, and film and maintains two blogs: Answer Line at PCWorld.com and Bayflicks.net. His articles have appeared in CNET, InfoWorld, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 10 was first released as the default browser in Windows 8.

But this latest version of IE will also run on Windows 7 and could soon show up on your Win7 desktop — whether you expected it or not.

An Internet Explorer upgrade long in the making

If you’re running Windows 7 SP1, that browser running underneath your operating system is getting a bit long in the tooth. No, I’m not talking about the browsers you likely use on a daily basis — Chrome or Firefox — but Internet Explorer 9. Released in March 2011 for Windows Vista and Windows 7, IE 9 has been standard on Windows 7 ever since.

IE 10 first arrived on the desktop with Windows 8 — and only Win8 — and reportedly with better CSS, HTML 5, and hardware-acceleration support. (It was also included with Windows Server 2012.) But Microsoft planned a Win7 version of IE 10 right from the start. This past November, it gave us a look at that version when it released Internet Explorer 10 Release Preview.

Microsoft has still not given an official release date for IE 10 for Win7, but there’s a strong clue that it’ll be soon. As announced on an IEBlog post, Microsoft has just released the IE 10 Blocker Toolkit, which allows IT managers to disable automatic IE 10 installation on their systems. Historically, application-blocker toolkits are released soon (typically 32 days to 84 days) before the release of a final product, as noted on a Midas blog.

Susan Bradley is a Small Business Server and Security
MVP, a title
awarded by Microsoft to independent experts who do not work for the company. She's also a partner in a California CPA firm.

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